Agencies
Beirut
Syrian rebels fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army said Russia must stop bombing them before talking about helping them, and rejected Moscow's idea of elections they suspect are aimed at keeping President Bashar al-Assad in power.
In comments marking a shift in Russia's position, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday the Russian air force, which has been bombing insurgents in Syria since Sept. 30, would be ready to help the "patriotic" Syrian opposition.
He also said the Kremlin wanted Syria to prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections - an idea which one leading rebel called "illogical and unrealistic" with so many people forced from Syria, in jail, or pursued by the government.
The rebels' scepticism towards Russian policy underlines the huge challenges facing any attempt to revive diplomacy as they battle major offensives from the Syrian army and its regional allies Iran and Hezbollah, with Russian air support.
